Mickey Rooney’s widow will begin legal proceedings to challenge the will he drew up three weeks before he died which left his small fortune to his stepson.

The actor, who passed away last month aged 93, left just $18,000 (£10,700) in his estate, all of which is due to go to his stepson, Mark Rooney, who he was living with until his death.

But at Los Angeles County Probate Court on Monday, his estranged eighth wife Janice will begin the process of challenging the validity of the will, which claims she signed away all her rights to his estate when they separated in June 2012 after 34 years of marriage.

Eugene Belous, her lawyer, told CNN that the will contained "a blatant misstatement" about agreements between the two.

"There is no provision ... that terminates or in any way effects [her] rights as surviving spouse," he said.